As a 22-year-old, Minor posted a 3.44 ERA in 120.1 innings and 21 starts in 2010 before a promotion to Atlanta in which he was a little shaky. Before his promotion, Minor was able to record 146 strikeouts to go along with only 46 walks. He should begin 2011 in Atlanta and should come close to 180 IP barring injury.

Minor’s stuff is tremendous and has come a long way since his days at Vanderbilt, where his fastball topped out around 90 mph and was not really regarded as first-round material. Atlanta took him 7th overall in the 2009 draft anyway. The pick is looking less and less like an overdraft with every pitch, and Minor now boasts a fastball that consistently reaches the mid-90’s and runs as high as 96 mph — a true plus pitch.

His changeup is his most advanced secondary offering and is already regarded as a true 60 pitch. While his curve is a bit behind his other pitches, it still grades as average. Minor definitely possesses the stuff, body, mechanics, and mentality to make it as a Major League #2 or better.